Reduced-risk smoking products and proposals for a smoke-free society by 2030

"As an honorary life fellow of Cancer Research UK, like many, I remain deeply concerned by the serious and harmful effects caused by smoking to the 7 million people in the UK who continue to smoke, as well as to society as a whole.   

"While, encouragingly, the number of people smoking is in decline, we must acknowledge that, unfortunately, it will not be possible for every smoker to quit.  

"Therefore, as the Government prepares its Tobacco Control Plan, and works toward its target of a smoke-free society by 2030, we must grasp the opportunities presented by our withdrawal from the EU and implement a smarter, more versatile strategy to reduce smoking. 

"Rather than focussing solely on the elimination of cigarette smoking – as important as, of course, this is – we should implement a new regulatory framework that not only creates further barriers to cigarette smoking, but which also encourages smokers to transition to less harmful non-combustible alternatives. 

"This means a concerted campaign to highlight the benefits of e-cigarettes, the removal of unhelpful EU regulations, a more comprehensive regulatory framework that recognises the importance of products such as nicotine pouches and heated tobacco, and, importantly, the will to champion such an approach internationally as an independent member of the World Health Organisation. 

"Ultimately, we must give smokers the best possible chance of moving away from cigarettes and all but eliminating the use of harmful combustible products by 2030."